Riding My Bicycle

I really, really, really like to ride my bike. I have a road bike, a 2008 Scott CR1 Pro that i have named Sophie. Sophie is a light, fast, and sophisticated bicycle. At least, for me anyway. It’s not the top of the line by any stretch, but if I ever “need” the top of the line, that would mean that I have shed every other unwanted pound off my body, and I have also come into some serious unexpected cash. I rode this morning, and it was a pretty great ride. Not too hot, breezy in some spots, and traffic was at a minimum. Only one jerk on the road (I’m looking at you, grumpy old fart in the Caddy).

I recently installed the Strava plugin for WordPress, so here is a test:

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I also have a mountain bike, a 2013 Scott Spark 950. It is a pretty great bike, but I am already experiencing “upgrade-itis” for this ride. The frame is excellent, but I would really like a better suspension fork and the SRAM 1×11 drivetrain. And better wheels. Guess I need to save my egg & butter money. Oh, I’ve named this bike Penelope. I really like mountain biking as well, but I had a pretty serious crash a few years ago that hospitalized me, so I ride with more trepidation than I care to admit. I’m trying to get past it, but sometimes it just gets in my head. The picture there is me racing at the Prairie City Race Series that is held in Folsom every year. This year marked the 20 year anniversary of the series, but I just started doing it last year. It’s WAY fun, and I’ve met some cool people out there as well.

Riding bikes does so much for me, outside of fitness. When I’m riding, I can tune out “life” for a bit, drowning the noise in the weird music of tire buzz, pedal spin, and my own labored breathing. In those moments, I sometimes gain clarity of some problem, issue, or personal struggle. In those moments, I spend time in introspective thought and prayer, telling God all my stuff. Sometimes, in those moments, I accelerate through a corner just right, or clean some rocky section, and a sense of exhilaration floods me. This doesn’t happen every time, and I certainly have more than my fair share of bonks, but it’s worth it.